Belle Dingle
Belle Lisa Dingle is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She was originally played by Emily Mather from 1998 until 2005, but is now played by Eden Taylor-Draper. Storylines '1998-2005' Tinkerbelle was born on Christmas Day 1998 to Zak and Lisa Dingle . Lisa had no idea she was pregnant. Local vet Paddy Kirk delivered Belle as he was spending Christmas Day with the Dingles. '2005-' Belle goes missing on Christmas Day 2005. She was at home alone with her uncle Shadrach, when Daz Eden visited, bringing his pet ferret. Although Daz told her not to, Belle let the ferret out of his cage and in a panic, chased him through the fields. Tragically, as Belle ran to get Spike, she fell down a mine shaft. Daz dived in to help her but they were trapped and it looked like they would either freeze or drown. It was a nightmarish time for them and their families who were beside themselves with worry. Brave Daz managed to keep Belle afloat for hours and they were eventually saved. Back with her family, Belle flourished and was overjoyed when her brother Sam and his fiancée, Alice had a baby, Samson. Surrounded by the madness of the Dingle clan, Belle is one of the more grown up members. In February 2006, she was ring bearer at her cousin Marlon Dingle's wedding to Donna Windsor. She moved in with Marlon briefly just before Alice died. When she was there, she refused to have a bath, so Toni Daggert challenged her to a duck race. If Toni's duck won, Belle had to have a bath but if Belle's duck won, she didn't. The whole village joined in and Belle was thrilled when she won the race. Sadly, her happiness was short lived as Zak arrived and told Belle that Alice had died. Belle started playing truant and asking Shadrach to cover for her. She claimed to be ill but her teacher visited and told Shadrach that Belle hardly ever went to school and didn't apply herself when she was there. Shadrach claimed he was her dad and the teacher asked Belle and her parents to come to a meeting at the school so Zak, Lisa and Belle went. Zak and Lisa were told that Belle was disruptive and she complained she was bored but was told that school wasn't meant to be fun. At home, she promised to try harder. Lisa and Zak returned for a second meeting after Belle shocked her teachers by disabling the ‘nanny guard' on the computer network. Belle said she didn't realise but the headteacher didn't believe her. Zak defended her, claiming Dingles don't lie, and Belle was suspended. With Belle at home all day, Zak became her teacher but wasn't very good. All he taught was maths - problems that involved either horse racing or fishing. Zak had trouble so Lisa suggested he teach her botany but he took her to strip building materials from a derelict property. No one was impressed as Donna said the materials were stolen and Lisa was annoyed that Zak was teaching her to steal. Realising Belle needed professional help, Zak and Lisa asked Jasmine to teach her. Jasmine was shocked by the lack of resources when she arrived for the first session but made do, and had Belle recite a Japanese haiku about Shadrach. The Home Education Inspector visited to discuss Belle's future and suggested Belle see an educational psychologist to find out why she was so disruptive. Zak initially said no but changed his mind as Belle had nightmares about Tom King's death – which she witnessed. Her fear peaked when Jasmine took her to Home Farm so she could talk to Pearl. Later, when Jasmine looked for Belle, she found Belle had vanished. She ran home, terrified. When the psychologist visited, Belle hid to avoid him but Lisa coaxed her out and Belle was delighted to fly through the psychologist's "easy" questions but still needed Zak's reassurance that she'll always be a Dingle. Belle's test results showed she was amongst the cleverest 2% of children her age. “I'm a priggin genius!” she announced, while Zak and Lisa wondered what this meant for her education. The inspector suggested private school but Lisa wasn't keen. Zak was excited at the prospect of “the first Dingle to go to Heaton” and Belle dreamed of magic wands and capes. Zak and Lisa took Belle to sit her public school entrance exam and were awe-struck by the establishment. A pupil showed them around and she told Zak and Lisa how disenchanted she was with the school, saying she wanted to marry a footballer and be like Victoria Beckham! Belle left the examining room, downcast, telling her parents and Mrs Burgess that she had not done well. Zak cheered her up by promising to take her for ice cream. Belle had good news and bad news from her teacher, Mrs Burgess. She'd passed the exam with 98%, winning an automatic place. Unfortunately Belle didn't get a full scholarship – the Dingles would have to pay £2,000 a term. Sadly, Mrs Burgess was unaware they couldn't afford that. Zak and Lisa argued about it. She argued that if Belle went, she'd forget her roots and be embarrassed by her family. Zak claimed it would be the best education but had to tell Belle that she was unlikely to go. However, Rosemary King took a liking to Belle and offered to pay the fees. Zak struggled to convince Lisa to accept Rosemary's offer. Lisa refused to even consider it until Samson got meningitis. Worried about the little boy, no one took any notice of Belle complaining she felt unwell until the doctor checked her. When Rosemary heard Belle was in hospital, she visited, taking flowers and truffles. Her arrival coincided with the doctor's, diagnosing Belle with a bad case of flu – she'd be fine. Zak and Lisa knew she was getting better when she complained she was hungry. Relieved, Lisa agreed to Rosemary paying Belle's fees. On Belle's first day, Lisa and Zak donned their Sunday best as they would meet the headmistress. Lisa was anxious about Belle fitting in but Belle was assigned a ‘welcome buddy' called Ayesha, who would keep her company and show her where everything was. The girls got on like a house on fire, with Ayesha even convincing Belle to talk about Shadrach in class. The teacher listened disapprovingly as she described Shadrach's hygiene and flatulence issues. In other words, none of one and lots of the other! When Belle came home, she gave Lisa a note about a school trip to Germany. Lisa said no so Belle went to see Rosemary. Initially Rosemary said, “Maybe next time” but on seeing her sad face, gave her a cheque but Zak returned it, saying Belle shouldn't have asked. Rosemary said she had offered and Zak said he'd discuss it with Lisa. This led to Rosemary, Zak and Lisa agreeing Rosemary would pay the fees but anything else was down to Zak and Lisa. Belle attended a spa day with her school friends. Lisa felt guilty at not having Belle's friends to visit and suggested she throw a party. She wasn't keen and told Rosemary she was embarrassed about the Dingle house. Rosemary suggested holding the party at Mill Cottage and Belle invited her friends, but didn't tell Zak and Lisa. Rosemary said she needed their permission so Belle "persuaded" Shadrach to phone Rosemary, pretending to be Zak. At the party, Belle impressed her posh friends, claiming to live at Mill Cottage with her "auntie" Rosemary and "cousin" Grayson. However, Lisa found out when she phoned Ayesha's mum to organize a sleepover. When Belle returned, she received a good ticking off. Belle was later upset to hear her parents discussing taking her out of private school. Following Rosemary's confession that she had poisoned Perdy to get her sectioned, Zak was horrified. He ended his friendship with her, warning her to stay away from his daughter. Zak and Lisa worried about how they could afford to send Belle to private school. Belle’s head teacher, Mrs Kennedy, told them the governors weren't prepared to give Belle a free place. Zak and Lisa were devastated and knew they would have to tell Belle. The Dingles told Belle she would have to leave, lying that Rosemary couldn't afford the fees. Back home, Zak decided to compete in the bare-knuckle fight against O’Shea to raise the funds needed for Belle to stay at school. Zak had all but beat O'Shea when the police raided the building, ending the fight but Zak couldn't claim the money. Fortunately Debbie lent them the money, allowing them to send Belle back to school. Belle watched Rosemary King's funeral and was the only person, apart from Grayson, who indicated genuine sorrow at her death. In May 2008, the family again struggled to pay Belle's school fees. They refused to borrow any more from Debbie, selling stolen manure instead but Matthew took the money when he found out. Belle covered his car in manure, and Zak made her apologise. Eli accidentally backed the van into a plasma TV Matthew had bought for a presentation. The money for the replacement came out of the bonus Matthew was going to give Zak. When Jimmy convinced Matthew to change his mind, Matthew refused to give him the money until the new TV arrived. A furious Zak quit his job. Lisa and Zak hoped Belle would remain in the dark, but another student found out from her father and told Belle. Belle was crushed, but a few days later, told her family that she was sick of the school anyway, as she was a Dingle and Dingles weren't supposed to be "posh". In November 2008, she auditioned for the choir but was slammed by Nicola De Souza, causing Ashley and Laurel Thomas to tell her that she was too young. Later that month, she decided to try to see what it was like to be blind. That phase didn't last long. In December 2008, she and her uncle Shadrach stole Christmas presents from under the Woolpack Christmas tree but eventually got found out. In February 2009, she developed a friendship with Will Wylde, who had just moved to Home Farm with his family. In April 2009, Zak leaves and does not come home for Easter as he was supposed to, which makes Belle upset and so she calls a Dingle Court in which Zak gets ex-communicated from the family. Zak returns a couple of days later after a bender and carrying an enormous brand new TV. As Belle and Will's Friendship develops they grow closer and Belle comforts Will when he finds out the shocking news about his fathers' death. Maisie Wylde and Nikhil Sharma announce that they are engaged and this news affects Will, when Belle comforts him he snaps at her. Belle is left devastated. Maisie later tells Nikhill that she is calling off the engagemet and is leaving the Village, with Will. Will immediately goes to say goodbye to Belle, he gives her his Nintendo DS and they part good friends, Belle gives Will a goodbye kiss on the cheek and when he walks away she is left crying. Belle talks to her mum and Lisa encourages her to see him off. Belle rushes up to the taxi just as Maisie and Will are leaving, she shouts that she loves him and Will shouts that he loves her too, Belle is happy that he loves her and decides to let him leave. In 2011, Belle overhears Amy Wyatt and Victoria Sugden talking about holding a party, and sees them stashing alcohol in the barn. She hides the drinks, and blackmails them to let her come along, but drinks too much cider, and throws up all over the floor, causing an angry Lisa to have to come and collect her. Belle forms a friendship with Amy, and when Amy collapses, Belle rushes to get help, but is stopped by Amy, who tells her she is pregnant, but doesn't want anyone else to know. So Belle goes to the hospital with Amy, pretending to be her sister when the nurses are around, and skips classes to go and see Amy. However, the school phone Lisa to tell her that Belle never turned up at school, and when confronted, Belle tells Zak and Lisa she was with Amy, but doesn't say anything about being at the hospital. Later, Belle goes to see Amy, who has been discharged, but Amy grabs Belle and threatens her to stay away from Amy. Later on Amy has the baby and calls it Kyle, Belle is so excited to be an auntie and she buys a scrap book with pictures of him in it. Belle forms a friendship with Sean a teenage troublemaker who recently arrived in the village. On her 13th birthday Belle and Sean kiss and the following day she gives him an Christmas present of an silver car key ring and says it reminds her of when he took her to the hospital to see baby Kyle. The following day Belle makes an excuse to go to the toilet at the woolpack but actually goes outside to see Sean when Zak comes to find her he sees Sean and Belle leaning in about to kiss and threatens him not to go near his daughter again which embarrasses Belle. Belle gives Zak the silent treatment and tells him to leave her alone. Eventually he sits her down and asks her if she likes Sean and Belle says yes then Zak goes on about how it isn't safe for her to be having a boyfriend at her age. But Belle turns round and lashes out at Zak and goes to her room. Later, Sean and Belle meet at the barn and go to the lake. Sean and Belle are later found by Debbie leaving Belle embarrassed. Reception For her portayal of Belle, Taylor-Draper was awarded the 'Spectacular Scene of the Year' award at the 2006 British Soap Awards along with co-star Luke Tittensor for the storyline where Belle and Daz fall down a mineshaft. The following year, she won the title of 'Best Young Actor' at the Inside Soap Awards on 24 September 2007. Category:Emmerdale characters Category:Current characters Category:Residents of Wishing Well Cottage Category:Dingle family Category:1998 births Category:1998 debuts Category:Students